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All Rise...

I would anything for Appellate Judge Mac McEntire, but I won't do that.

The Charge

Then I'm dying at the bottom of a pit in the blazing sun Torn and
twisted at the foot of a burning bike And I think someone somewhere must
be tolling a bell And the last thing I see is my heart Still
beating Still beating Breaking out of my body and flying away
Like a bat out of hell

Opening Statement

In the mid-to-late '70s, the music scene was dominated by disco, funk, and,
um, the Eagles. In this setting, Meat Loaf's debut album Bat Out of Hell,
with songs by Jim Steinman, was a surprise to everyone. The longer-length songs
combined hard-rocking guitar with concert piano to make a grand theatrical wall
of sound, while the lyrics spoke of universal themes like love, sex, and Heaven
versus Hell. Making the album even more of a surprise hit was that all the songs
were sung by a 350-pound sweaty guy wearing a Seinfeld-esque puffy
shirt.

Facts of the Case

Unlike a lot of stories of this type, Bat Out of Hell's out-of-nowhere
success didn't originate in a garage or in some underground rock club. Instead,
it was born out of New York's theater scene. Steinman originally wrote most of
the songs for use in a never-produced off-Broadway show he was creating at the
time. This is also where he met Meat Loaf, who was acting in The Rocky Horror
Show at the time—note that this was before Meat Loaf reprised his role
in that show for cult phenomenon movie version, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. So the
struggling actor and the budding songwriter teamed on a demo tape, which was
universally rejected throughout the music industry. The album wasn't made until
after the two teamed with guitarist and record producer Todd Rundgren, who
brought both of those roles to the project, making it a little less Broadway and
a lot more rock and roll.

The Evidence

The 60-minute documentary, part of a "Classic Albums" series from
Eagle Rock Entertainment, chronicles the creation of the album, interviewing
most of the key participants, along with vintage footage from Bat Out of
Hell's glory days. Meat Loaf (the hell with it, from now on I'm just calling
him "Meat." Try not to giggle.) comes across as slightly soft-spoken
but still enthusiastic about the album. Similarly, Rundgren discusses his
involvement in a matter of fact style. Steinman, on the other hand, is just
batty. He's got long graying hair, his eyes are hidden behind some oversized
sunglasses, and he's got this goofy and slightly creepy smile on his face
throughout. He's not the rocking rebel his songs make him out to be; instead,
he's more like the guy who's always wished he was a rocking rebel.

Although a lot of musicians get sick and tired of fans asking about their
early material instead of the newest stuff, these guys are clearly all having
fun reminiscing about their road to fame. Meat and Rundgren play around with a
soundboard, isolating certain sections of songs while they play, pointing out a
lot of little details in the song not immediately apparent. Steinman, meanwhile,
sits a piano, playing out the songs in simple notes, breaking each tune down its
basic elements. This makes this documentary as much about the creative process
in general as it is about a specific album.

Each song on the album is talked about in some detail, with the exception of
"For Crying Out Loud," which, sadly, is demoted to the closing
credits. We also get glimpses of performances of the title track and
"Paradise by the Dashboard Light" from the legendary British live
music show The Old Grey Whistle Test, and sound bites from all the songs
serve as the overall score. The disc then concludes with a very nice modern-day
live performance of "Heaven Can Wait," in which Meat invites the crowd
to sing it along with him.

The technical specs are decent. This is not a documentary with a lot of
flashy visuals, but the picture looks fine nonetheless. The 2.0 audio sounds
great, but I can't help wonder how greater it would've sounded in 5.1. A Meat
biography and discography are the only bonuses.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

On the negative side, this isn't really a disc for newbies hoping to learn
what Meat is all about. The entire documentary relies on viewers already being
familiar with Bat Out of Hell. Also, if you're looking for the real juicy
gossip, you won't find it here. Meat and Steinman's rocky friendship and their
eventual falling out aren't mentioned here. Finally, if they could get clips
from The Old Grey Whistle Test, why not have the entire performances as
extras?

Closing Statement

I've encountered quite a few Meat Loaf naysayers in my travels over the
years, who have accused me of being a dork (or worse) for enjoying his music. As
a result, I usually keep my fandom a secret, but after rediscovering Bat Out
of Hell courtesy of this disc, I have no problem standing up and saying that
yes, it is a classic. So if you too secretly love Meat (stop giggling!), then
give this disc a try.

The Verdict

You took the verdict right out of my mouth. It must've been while you were
kissing me.

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